For the second year in a row, a Wilmington surfer clinched the National Scholastic Surfing Association men’s national championship, while a Wrightsville Beach female surfer was named Carissa Moore Rookie of the Year for placing fourth in her first trip to nationals.
Gabe Morvil won the Explorer Mens national championship and Leah Thompson finished fourth in the Open Girls under 14 division after the June 26–July 3 competition in Huntington Beach, Calif. Thompson’s rookie of the year award was named after world champion Hawaiian surfer Carissa Moore.
Last year, it was Morvil’s friend, Bo Raynor, who won the title, becoming the first local surfer since Ben Bourgeois in 1994 to bring the title back to Wrightsville Beach.
Morvil won the men’s final over Parker Cohn from Newport Beach, Calif., Finn McGill from Haleiwa, Hawaii and Kala Willard from Lahaina, Hawaii. Thompson finished fourth in her final behind Caroline Marks from Capistrano Beach, Calif., Kirra Pinkerton from San Clemente, Calif. and Tiare Thompson from La Jolla, Calif.
Full story coming.
